Strike while the iron’s hot. It’s good advice for fame. Not that I’m really famous, but I’ve had my face on shirts and cups, so that’s a solid 10% famous there. When The Real Gilligan’s Island was on the air, it bombed. I hate to admit it, but it did. As result TBS was unwilling to help any of us out in terms of utilizing our 15 minutes of fame, so I took it upon myself to be my own, shameless, self-promoter.
I quickly assembled my press kit and searched the internet for any chance to whore my name. Somehow I came across the Reality TV Tour, a travel show being filmed for Sky TV Travel in Europe, Asia, and Australia. It is pretty much the American equivalent of Direct TV. The casting notice was seeking international travelers to film while on a trek around various travel destinations in the South West United States. It is part of a larger series about various worldwide travel destinations. Sure, it would have been nice to do one at some other part in the world, but I took what I could get.
I contacted the man who was organizing it through a company named Suntrek. I explained to him that I was currently on a primetime TV show and on billboards in Times Square, and on Hollywood Blvd. He said that they had already cast the American for the show, but that perhaps he could work something out. Well, as luck would have it, in order to get my name in the cast, recast me as the cocky, adventure loving American in the final weeks before filming. So I quickly put together a camping backpack and flew off to Los Vegas.
I arrived and met my fellow trek members from all over the world. It was really an awesome experience to get to know people from totally different cultures. We had a free day in Vegas before shooting, so while some went to see the sites, I decided to try to spend 24 hours gambling. I started off with 100 bucks and had to play every game at least once. After 23 hours, I finally lost my 100 bucks, but for a full day, that wasn’t too bad. I was up 75 from playing baccarat and 20 from poker, but lost most of it over a spread of the other games. I also figured out a great way to get free booze without having to gamble at all.
On the second day, we filmed our intro to Vegas. We walked around and saw Fremont street at night, with the light show on the ceiling, it was pretty interesting. The next morning we had to be up at 6 to go to Death Valley, so some of the crew returned home when the cameras were done filming. The rest of us went in search of adventure. At one point, my roommate Danny went out to buy “American weed” and said he’d meet up with us later. At three in the morning, he comes into the room with a large skeevy looking man. He bought his weed from the man, and the guy asked if he could have a quick smoke before he left. I consented since I’ve been around weed plenty and didn’t really care. Well, the guy breaks out a crack pipe and starts smoking up and talking about how he has some great hookers he’s going to bring over. At this point I have fists balled up under the covers in case this guy is going to try anything. Eventually Danny paid him to go get more weed and he left, so we locked him out and barred the door.
Of course, the hotel forgot to give us a wakeup call. Danny and I were awakened by the pounding of an angry director who gave us 5 minutes to pack our room, and get in the travel vans. Shortly, we found ourselves in Death Valley. A hard lesson you learn about the salt flats is that they aren’t completely solid, so when racing to be the first there, once there you step right through them into the hot mud. While there, of course, I tasted the salt flats; it’s like you’d imagine. The hottest part we visited was a scorching 134 degrees, definitely a neat experience. You feel the water being sucked out of your body.
After that, we hit Zion Canyon, which was one of my favorites due to all the potential rock climbing. I didn’t follow the group so much, instead choosing to do some free climbing on my own. Of course there was one pillar that stood above everything else that I needed to stand atop. Once up, I realized the mistake I made because I had to jump to get to it, but didn’t have the momentum to make a jump back, so I had to take my shoes off and carefully shimmy all the way down. I had one of those quick moments of panic when you realize there is no footing and you pray it’s a quick death. Thankfully I jumped and was able to dig into a good hold and found a new path.
Next we went to a rodeo in Utah. We were just supposed to watch. I asked the director if I could ride a bull and he told me no. About a minute later I excused myself to the bathroom and went to the rodeo sign-up booth. They asked me if I have ever ridden a bull before, and I replied, emphatically, “Yes!” I sat back down and shortly they called my name, so I jumped up and expressed surprise at their decision to put a spectator in, but most follow their wishes. I signed out my gear and headed to the pens. Just before I got in, the guy who was leaving the pens runs out holding his broken arm that had been trampled by the bull when he fell off. I had no idea what I was doing, but faked it enough that they did let me ride. I was told I was the only person in sandals to ever ride a bull. I wasn’t on long and I was thrown pretty good, but only had the wind knocked out of me and was fine after a few sissy Utah beers.
The next morning we went to Bryce Canyon for sunrise and then headed off for Moab where we would spend a few days. While there we did some mountain biking on Slickrock, which is a pretty rough trail. May, from Amsterdam ended up wrecking and breaking her heal and color bone, so Danny and I went back for emergency help, while he wiped out on the way. So I ended up being the only person who didn’t wreck while riding. Because May injured herself, she wasn't to be filmed the rest of the show, because that would put a negative slant on attracting tourists.
The day after that we went rafting on the Colorado River. I had been rafting plenty and it was ok rapids, but a little weaker than what I was used to. We got to know the guides pretty well and ended up doing some Karaoke with them afterwards. After too many drinks we stumbled back home about an hour before we had to film at Arches National Park. I did plenty of climbing while there and wanted to climb the arch, but unfortunately you’re not allowed. Later we returned to Moab to do some “Extreme” Hummer tours. (Yes, they called it extreme.) It actually was pretty exciting because you’re hitting crazy angles in those things, so it’s like a rollercoaster ride.
After that we visited the Navajo Reservation and saw Monument Park, the famous background from the old Western movies. Later that night we camped at a ranch and rode horseback to Mexican Hat monument for sunset. Later that night we threw back a few and hit on cowgirls. I ended up bathing naked in the Colorado River before we headed out to Needle Bend the next morning.
After this, was our trip to the Glen Canyon Damn and eventually Glen Canyon where we played some football in the water. Later that night we played Assassin as a drinking game. Unfortunately, we were camped out next to a loud, obnoxious French group. They wouldn’t go to bed, so at 3 in the morning, I filled a bottle full of urine and whipped it over onto a table full of them. They took the hint and kept it quiet after that. Nothing is more fun that bullying the French.
On our last couple days of camping, we did the Grand Canyon. While on our helicopter tour, they gave us headphones with “inspiring music” which pretty much means Enya and Cusco. I would have rather they played some “awesome music” like Flight of the Valkyries, or Megadeth. It was still pretty impressive.
Before our last day in Vegas, we stopped by the home of Route 66 and got some food there. Once back in Vegas, we took a limo to different clubs and got wasted one last time. Sure there was a lot of drinking on this trip, but it hey, we were going to be on TV for it, so why not be a little more affected? By the end of the night I was feeling up any females statue I could find. The next morning, I was on my way back to sunny FL and doing class work on the plane.
Even though this won’t really be shown in the US and I won’t get much attention for it, it was also another experience that easily rivals the Gilligan experience. I made a great network of international friends from this and someday hope to visit them in their countries. In terms of acting, the trip also did provide some good pictures for my acting portfolio to show that I have that wild side and not just the nice guy side that everyone is used to.
